The Asus ZenFone 5 has been announced at MWC (Mobile World Congress) 2018 in Barcelona. The phone is edged by a mid-range ZenFone 5 Lite and ZenFone 5Z and a middle sibling of a new Asus Trio.
Asus has retained its smartphone strategy and had a keen eye on smartphone trends as it tries to resuscitate its mobile fortunes. Though it is not available in Australia this time around, but we went hands-on and here is Asus ZenFone 5 review including its release date, prices in Australia and specifications. So, let’s get going.
Asus ZenFone 5 Release Date
Asus ZenFone 5 release date in Australia is not announced, but we are hopeful to see this phone later in April 2018 thanks to Asus ZenFone 5 rumors. According to MWC 2018, Asus ZenFone 5 will start hitting shelves in April, whereas June 2018 is for Asus ZenFone 5Z.
Asus ZenFone 5 Price
Just like its release date, Asus ZenFone 5 price in Australia is also up in the air, but it’s expected that the phone will set you back around AU$920 thanks to Asus ZenFone 5 leaks. Again, it is just an idea, we are not sure about it.
Asus ZenFone 5 Specifications
Listed below are the Asus ZenFone 5 specifications and features you can have an eye on.
- Dimensions: 153 x 75.7 x 7.9 mm (6.02 x 2.98 x 0.31 in)
- SIM: Dual SIM (Nano)
- Display Size: 6.2-inches IPS Full HD+
- Display Resolution: 1080 x 2246 (402 PPI)
- Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass
- Operating System: Android 8.0 Oreo
- CPU: Octa-core Kryo 260
- Chipset: Qualcomm SDM636 Snapdragon 636
- GPU: Adreno 509
- Storage: 64GB (Expandable Up to 400GB via microSD card)
- RAM: 4GB
- Rear Camera: 12MP (f/1.8) + 8MP (f/2.0)
- Front Camera: 8MP
- Camera Features: phase detection autofocus, gyro EIS, Dual-LED (Dual Tone) Flash
- Headphone Jack: Yes 3.5mm
- Sensors: Fingerprint (rear-mounted), Accelerometer, Gyro, Proximity, Compass
- Battery: 3300mAh Non-Removable
- Colors: Midnight Blue – Meteor Silver
Brief Description of Asus ZenFone 5 Features
The phone looks stunning, and interestingly when you see first, you would think it is Huawei P20 Pro which is of course not. The rear is glass and there is a notch to hide all of the facial recognition tech and camera tech. You can choose Asus ZenFone 5 from colors between Midnight Blue and Meteor Silver.
Does it sport a gorgeous display? Yes! You will see a 6.2-inches 19:9 aspect ratio Full HD+ IPS display which is crisp and bright and viewing angles are fantastic. It supports the maximum resolution of 1080 x 2246 pixels and protected by a Corning Gorilla Glass. The display has overall 90% screen-to-body ratio.
Moving towards its camera, there is a dual camera on the rear – a 12MP main camera with f/1.8 and an 8MP 120-degree wide-angle secondary camera which helps you to fit more in a shot. On the other hand, an 8MP sensor sits in front and supports plenty of features including Portrait Mode, Face Detection and HDR (High Dynamic Range) imaging.
Asus ZenFone 5 has a built-in fingerprint scanner along with a bunch of connectivity options such as 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth capabilities.
Talking about its storage and performance, the ZenFone 5 comes with a 64GB of onboard memory and allows users to expand up to 400GB via a microSD card. It is powered by Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor, Adreno 509 graphics processor and a 4GB of RAM ensures phone gives users a lag-free experience when playing games or working on multitasks.
The phone is backed by a 3300mAh non-removable battery (similar to LG G7 and a little smaller than Sony Xperia XZ Pro) which typically lasts you all day long under moderate use thanks to AI Charging which adjusts the charging rate based on how you use.
Should You Buy it?
Perhaps yes. If you are scouting for a hefty RAM for games or multitasking and a powerful processor, Asus ZenFone 5 is an absolute choice.